Policing and government policy are essential, but not sufficient to address rising hate crime against Jews
T
he stabbing of two men in north-west London on Wednesday by an attacker described as seeking anyone “visibly Jewish” would be horrifying under any circumstances. That it comes amid rising antisemitic crime in the area, in the UK and around the world makes it all the more frightening.
A community persecuted throughout history faces a fresh wave of hatred and abuse. Shock and grief are mixed with fear, with some British Jews asking whether they can be safe in the UK. This is the third attack in five weeks in the same part of Golders Green alone. Last October, two people were killed in an attack on a synagogue in Heaton Park, Manchester, on Yom Kippur. In December, two men were found guilty of plotting to infiltrate and open fire on a march against antisemitism in the same city. That month, a pair of gunmen killed 15 people at a Hanukah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney.
The precise facts of individual crimes, as well as their common roots, must be understood. Police are treating the Golders Green stabbing as terrorism-related and have said that the suspect arrested at the scene was referred to the Prevent deradicalisation scheme in 2020. Once again, authorities face questions on how individuals flagged as threats are handled. The man is also said to have a history of mental health problems and violence.
